A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels — Volume 14 eBook

surprising than the splendour of the whole shew;
and we learnt to our greater surprise, that this
fleet was only the naval force of the single district
of Atapooroo, and that all the other districts could
furnish their quota of vessels in proportion to
their size. This account opened our eyes,
in regard to the population of the island, and
convinced us in a few moments, that it was much more
considerable than we had hitherto supposed.
The result of a most moderate computation gave
us one hundred and twenty thousand persons in the two
peninsulas of Otabeite, and this calculation was
afterwards confirmed to be very low, when we saw
the fleet of the smallest district, which amounted
to forty-four war-canoes, besides twenty or thirty
of a smaller size.”—­G.F.

SECTION XII.

Some Account of a Visit from Otoo, Towha, and several
other Chiefs; also of a Robbery committed by one of
the Natives, and its Consequences, with general Observations
on the Subject.

In the morning of the 27th, I received a present from
Towha, consisting of two large hogs and some fruit,
sent by two of his servants, who had orders not to
receive any thing in return; nor would they when offered
them. Soon after I went down to Oparree in my
boat, where, having found both this chief and the
king, after a short stay, I brought them on board to
dinner, together with Tarevatoo, the king’s
younger brother, and Tee. As soon as we drew
near the ship, the admiral, who had never seen one
before, began to express much surprise at so new a
sight. He was conducted all over the ship, every
part of which he viewed with great attention.
On this occasion Otoo was the principal show-man;
for, by this time, he was well acquainted with the
different parts of the ship. After dinner Towha
put a hog on board, and retired, without my knowing
any thing of the matter, or having made him any return
either for this, or the present I had in the morning.
Soon after, the king and his attendants went away also.[1]
Otoo not only seemed to pay this chief much respect,
but was desirous I should do the same; and yet he
was jealous of him, but on what account we knew not.
It was but the day before that he frankly told us,
Towha was not his friend. Both these chiefs when
on board solicited me to assist them against Tiarabou,
notwithstanding a peace at this time subsisted between
the two kingdoms, and we were told their joint force
was to go against Eimea. Whether this was done
with a view of breaking with their neighbours and
allies if I had promised them assistance, or only to
sound my disposition, I know not. Probably they
would have been ready enough to have embraced an opportunity,
which would have enabled them to conquer that kingdom,
and annex it to their own, as it formerly was.
Be this as it may, I heard no more of it; indeed,
I gave them no encouragement.

Next day we had a present of a hog sent by Waheatoua,
king of Tiarabou. For this, in return, he desired
a few red feathers, which were, together with other
things, sent him accordingly. Mr Forster and his
party set out for the mountains, with an intent to
stay out all night. I did not go out of the ship
this day.[2]